I'll start off by saying that Sawyer Bennett is one of my favorite authors and I love hockey so the Cold Fury series is a must read for me. The main characters, Marek and Gracen are childhood sweethearts. When Marek gets the chance to join the NHL he leaves Gracen behind. Broken hearted Gracen doesn't tell him that she's pregnant. Years later when he learns anonymously that they have a daughter he's furious at the deception. There's lots of angst and emotional drama in this book and plenty of steamy scenes.

Marek by Sawyer Bennett is the last book in the Cold Fury series and can be read as a stand-a-lone. It tells the story of Marek, a professional hockey player and Gracen, a woman he left years ago to pursue his professional career. Unbeknownst to him, she had a daughter, Lilly who is now almost 4 years old.

Marek is struggling with how to be a father to a child he doesn’t know. Gracen is feeling guilty for not telling Marek about their daughter. I loved that she wouldn’t put up with Marek’s anger and at times bullying behavior.

There were times that I did want to strangle Marek, but he turns his behavior around. “I thought I could walk away from this, but I can’t. I don’t want to.”

I loved this story. At times it is emotional and heartbreaking and you feel every word on the page. Sawyer Bennett is a wonderful storyteller. Although this series is ending, I look forward to her next release.

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book for an honest review.

Devoured in one sitting. I enjoyed this story, it’s theme being regrets and forgiveness... I love this series and Marek did not disappoint. Hindsight is 20/20 and sacrificing for family can back you into a wall. I was hooked from the beginning and loved how it unfolded. A must read series and preferably in order.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

I am a HUGE Sawyer Bennett fan and I have read this whole series. This book can stand alone but it really starts in Reed so I really recommend you read that one first. Marek is Reed's best friend and he is in this story alot, as is his girlfriend, Josie. In Reed, Marek learned he was a dad when he busted into his exes, Gracen's wedding to another guy.

When he saw her daughter he knew she was his and demanded she follow him to Raleigh where he plays hockey. And that is where this story starts. In Raleigh as both Marek and Gracen are living together with their daughter and Marek is one pissed off man.

I really loved this story. Gracen had good reasons for what she did and eventually Marek comes around. You understand his pain but you also understand Gracen's. This was a fun, light and enjoyable story and I loved every second of Gracen and Marek's journey to forgiveness and love.

Great addition to this series. Marek has a past that catches up to him and it is fireworks time!!
Loved seeing him come to terms with life outside the hockey ring. Very good read with wonderful characters both new and repeats. Always good to catch up with the team.

Marek has every reason to be a jerk to Gracen, she kept his daughter a secret from him for three years, but I hate how he keeps throwing it in her face. That being said I loved this book. You can tell these two belong together from the beginning. I loved how Marek tries to be the knight in shining armor by saving Gracens parents house. He definitely gives her, her happily ever after.

ALL THE FEELS! ALL THE FEELS! Holy cow, this book will rip your heart out and then put you back together. Great story!

4 sweet stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

We have another winner in the Carolina Cold Fury series. In this next installment we have Marek and Gracen. They were high school sweethearts and deeply in love but broke up when Marek left to pursue hockey.

At the end of Reed, we learned that Gracen was getting ready to marry someone else and Marek felt compelled to stop her from making a mistake. He then learns that he has a 3 year old daughter that Gracen kept from him.

As the book begins, both Marek and Gracen are trying to work through their anger and hurt so that their daughter can build a relationship with her father. What we get next is a mix of sweet, sexy, and funny. As always, it is very well written and flows so easily.

I am a huge fan of this series and look forward to every book. Anyone looking for an exceptional sports romance should stop and check out the Cold Fury!

*ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

**2.75 Stars**

I've read a good handful of the Cold Fury books and I have liked them, but with this one I was just underwhelmed.

Almost the entirety of this book is set in Marek's house. There are a few times where they go out, but almost never together. I don't know why that bothered me, but it made their connection feel a little false. We only get to see their interactions around other people maybe twice and so the story just became redundant. The most that really happened was their constant bickering about who was more to blame in the situation. I also think that's why there as the whole Owen situation which I found to be completely pointless. Nothing significant happened because of it.

Marek was an okay character for me, but a little forgettable. He was also kind of an ass, but I get where his frustration came from. I wasn't a fan of Gracen though. I know she says she felt remorseful, but I didn't entirely buy it. She kept saying really hurtful things to Marek and most of the time I didn't think he deserved it. When Marek would come back at her about the Lilly situation, I usually felt like his argument was justified. I was really peeved toward the end when she told Marek he should have asked her before taking Lilly ice skating. Why? She's his daughter too.

By the time the book was over, I didn't feel like either one of them were in love with each other. It felt to me like they were trying to force a relationship that had run it's course.

This book was a little lackluster. I don't recommend it, but I also don't NOT recommend it. So I guess I'll leave this at read it if you want.

Marek and Grace find themselves at odds. Marek interrupts Grace's wedding in order to kidnap her and his newfound daughter, Lilly. Marek is beyond upset after learning that he has a 3-1/2 year old daughter that he knew nothing about. Grace kept her a secret from him for her own reasons, some of which seemed to be selfishness. She is still bitter and heartbroken that he broke up with her to pursue his NHL career and newfound freedom.

Grace finds herself in Raleigh, North Carolina and living in Marek's house. Marek makes it clear to her that she is not his favorite person in the world right now. Grace accepts his anger for the most part. What she doesn't do is really explain her reasoning for not letting either him, or his parents, know that she had gotten pregnant and had his daughter. Grace was also in a tough spot back at home with her fiance' Owen and things with them were not what they appeared to be.

I liked how this book showed Marek having to overcome his anger. I also liked how Grace had to come to terms with her unresolved feelings of betrayal and hurt over his breaking up with her without a backwards glance. I was able to empathize with both of them. Their situation was not easy and Sawyer Bennett did a great job of portraying both sides. I usually have an issue with deceit of a hidden baby but this one didn't bother me as much.

I liked this book and have enjoyed the whole series. I was happy to accept an ARC from NetGalley for my honest review.

And we’re back in the game! I just love Sawyer Bennett, I love hockey and The Cold Fury are right up there with the best of them. Oh Marek how I love thee. I was so excited for this story, more so than any other I think following the introduction of Marek in Reed (book 10), with the whole crashing the wedding thing, I was so intrigued by what I read in Reed, and I loved the premise behind it. I was on tenderhooks and let’s be honest, it most definitely did not disappoint, I loved both Marek and Gracen, and as much as Marek was a complete and utter d!ck, I understood his gripes. Equally, I completely and utterly understood where Gracen was coming from. I don’t think either one of them did what they did vindictively, nothing truly came from a bad place. A wonderfully written second chance sports romance that had me hooked from the first page. A definite full five star, fun, flirty, sexy read for me. I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. This is my honest review.

4.5 Stars

On my goodness! I have been waiting for this story since we first met Marek. I love a great single parent trope and then through in a second chance at your first love....hooked me right in.

This is the continuing story about the Cold Fury NHL team. You could read this as a stand alone, but I have so enjoyed all the books in the series, Give them all a look!

Marek and Gracen were childhood sweethearts until Marek left for the NHL and broke Gracen's heart. Gracen is so upset about this, she hides the fact that he also left her pregnant and alone. Now that Marek has stopped her from marrying another man, they begin to try to tolerate each other long enough for their daughter to get to know her daddy.

Lots of angst and anger in this one. Up, down, all around on the emotional front. A fair bit of hockey in this one but most of the story takes place away from the action. Loved seeing the rest of the team and catching up on all their lives.

GREAT epilogue and a sweet lol to top it off. Great read over all.

A must read. Marek is a good storyline that held my interested from the first page to the last. It is an easy and enjoyable read. This sports second chance romantic book contains a .little of everything, it is funny, heartwarming, frustrating, and sexy. Even though this book is part of a series it can be read as a stand alone. I would recommend this book.

Wow, I could feel the emotion in this book. Marek feels deceived and bitter through most of the book. Gracen feels guilty and ashamed. If Marek isn't able to get over it, he'll loose both his daughter and the love of his life. Easier said than done, right.

Marek is a typical pro hockey player who plays hard on and off the ice. When he finds out that his high school sweetheart kept a big secret from him, he can't forgive her. Gracen has never gotten over Marek even though she didn't want to hold him back when he went pro. Now they're together again working through their past and hoping for a better future. Another winner in the Cold Fury Hockey series!

I have read this entire series… and although I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t my favorite.
In the beginning, I though Marek was a d-bag. He left Gracen (after 5 years of dating) because he got drafted by the NFL and wanted to play the field. What a d-bag, right?!?!? Is it any wonder she didn’t tell him she was pregnant? If I was in her shoes, I wouldn’t have told him either. Too bad she feels guilty about this and plays along with whatever he wants to dish her way because of this.
Anyways, that’s in the past. Moving on. Marek ended the last book (Reed) by stopping Gracen’s marriage and made her and their daughter move to his house – states away while he left them there. Again, d-bag. Long story short, Reed, his BFF, and his dad help him see that he needs to get along with Gracen to keep his daughter nearby. They end up having a night of sex to ‘get it out of there systems’. By doing this, these two end up falling in love again. And I feel Marek somewhat redeems himself.
Overall, 4 out of 5 stars. The series though gets a 5 out of 5.

3.5 STARS!!!!
Marek was a good second chance romance read. I enjoyed every character in this book except Owen. I truly wished that I had felt more of a deep connection between Marek and Gracen. They had a past and Marek was a fool for how he ended things, but I wish I had felt that bone deep type of love from them in the past that would make me believe that their feelings in the present was real. I enjoyed the moments between Marek and Lilly and Gracen was a great mother. There were things I liked and disliked about this story, but it was a sweet second chance sports romance read that was worth a read.

Having followed this series, enjoying each player along the way, Marek and Gracen’s story seemed to hit a soft spot for me. The emotions ran high, perhaps because Lily was involved, or perhaps I’m a sucker for second chance stories...which there are a plethora of. The way Ms Bennett has approached the topic though gave it a whole other level of “pull at the heartstrings”, I think this is where Lily comes in.

I’m glad that Marek finally was able to come to terms with his past and Gracen to find his HEA with her. Clearly their chemistry is enhanced by their explosive history...adding the perfect layer of emotions to up the attraction factor between them.

The Cold Fury Hockey series has never grown old, this author has perfected the ability to keep an extended series fresh and exciting. I always look forward to Ms Sawyer’s books...I'm anxious to see what she has in store next.

This ARC book was complimentary, provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. I am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Marek is about second chances and forgiving the one you will always love. The day Marek had an opportunity to advance his career, he left Gracen behind. He wanted the perks of being a professional hockey player which included messing around with whatever women he could. By leaving, he left behind a five year relationship and a baby though he wasn't aware she was pregnant.

I love second chance romances! They're often the best tropes and I'm a sucker for this story. Throw in a secret baby and a wedding crasher into the mix. I was a bit iffy about Marek's character. I understood why he was upset but I disliked the way he often handled it. He left Gracen because he didn't want anything holding him back. He couldn't believe that she took his words at face value. How else would anyone react though? Your boyfriend leaves you to basically mess around with other women and you happen to be pregnant.

Gracen wasn't entirely wrong in her decision to not tell Marek. I loved Gracen's character. She was selfless to a fault and did everything she could to protect the ones she loves. Bennett's writing was great, as it usually is. Definitely recommend the book!

This series has been an amazing read. Each one gets better. Gracen is overwhelmed with guilt for never telling Marek that she was pregnant when the broke up. Marek struggles with the anger of her not telling him.